Additional information courtesy of Mike Thompson and Lifeboat Magazine
Technical
Official Number: 163179
Yard Number: 588
Completed: 1934
Gross Tonnage: 313
Net Tonnage: 139
Length: 131.0 ft
Breadth: 24.6 ft
Depth: 13.0 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 600ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Speed: 11.4 knots
History
18.8.1933: The Board of Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd decided to exercise their option with Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd to build two more middle water trawlers to the same design as the AVANTURINE (Yd.No.542) but with amendments in respect of hull dimensions. Contracts were signed with the shipyard and with Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd to make the engines and boilers. The price agreed was £13,610 for the first vessel and £13,560 for the second. The names chosen were ALEXANDRITE and ANDRADITE. Two further trawlers were subsequently ordered to this design, ARAGONITE (Yd.No.594) and ACHROITE (Yd.No.596).
Total cost for ANDRADITE, with amendments, certification, fees, fishing gear and other equipment £14,272.12.9d.
1.2.1934: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.588) for Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as ANDRADITE (named by Mrs Bridget Adams).
23.1.1934: Completed trials and accepted.
23.2.1934: Registered at Hull (H26).
16.3.1934: Sailed on first trip to Faroes (Sk. Stephenson).
31.3.1934: Landed 767 kits grossed £497 (15 days).
25.7.1939: Insured value £17,200.
12.8.1939: Sailed for Faroes (Sk. J. Neve).
28.8.1939: At Hull landed 732 kits £701 gross. Last landing prior to being requisitioned.
28.8.1939: Admiralty telegram advising ALEXANDRITE and ANDRADITE would be requisitioned at 10.30 am. Landed gear.
28.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service (Hire rate £187.16.0d/month).
1.9.1939: Sailed for Aberdeen with RN crew. Fitted out on examination service (1-12pdr) (P.No. FY.559).
1940: Fitted out as a minesweeper. Based Dover with M/S Group 46 (Ty/Sk. E. H. Brooks RNR).
1941-1942: Remained at Dover with M/S Group 46 (Ty Lieut. E. S. Brookes RNVR).
17.1.1946: Returned after refurbishment by Globe Engineering Co Ltd, Hull and survey.
19.1.1946: Sailed on trip to Faroes grounds (Sk. W. Swain Snr).
23.2.1949: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood for £30,250. Geoffrey Edwards Marr, Brough designated manager.
11.7.1949: Last landing at Hull prior to transfer to Fleetwood.
6.3.1957: Sailed Fleetwood for Faroes grounds (Sk. John Henry Blackshaw); fifteen crew.
7.3.1957: Stranded on rocks at Barra Head. At 3.30am. message received by Barra Lifeboat Station from Stornoway coastguard that the trawler was was ashore near Curachan Rock. Barra lifeboat, Lloyds, launched at 4.10am. in a slight sea, southerly breeze and tide on the flood. Lifeboat found the trawler some 5 miles NE of Curachan Rock, took off the crew and at 7.30am. landed them safely at Castlebay, Barra. Vessel sustained extensive bottom damage and declared a total loss.
3.5.1957: Hull registry closed “Ship ashore total loss”.
(Crew (all Fleetwood unless stated) – Sk. John Henry Blackshaw (54); Stanley Mason (29), Mate; Richard E. Edwards (24), Bosun; Fred Parkinson (56) Ch. Eng; S. Latkowski (30), 2nd Eng; James Morgan (54),Harold Moon (19), Charles F. Tomlinson (53), John W. Morley (18), Sidney Cole (58) and William Neal (57), deckhands; Charles Leo (51), Michael Kettrick (23), Wigan, firemen; J. Kerr-Morgan (23), Middlesbrough, apprentice fireman; Walter Whiteside (63), cook.)
Click to enlarge image
S.T. Andradite H26
Picture courtesy of The Mike Thompson Collection
HMT Andradite
Picture courtesy of The Greenday Collection (TPF)
Changelog
14/05/2012: Page published. 4 updates since then.
01/08/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
16/10/2018: Updated information.
18/10/2018: Added picture.
03/07/2019: Updated information.